Highland Grace (7 page)

Bao refused to give any further specifics.
The intimate details of that day were between him and Jesslyn. “As
I said, ‘tis the truth. And the only thing that matters is that I
convince her to wed me.”

“Oh, she’ll wed you. I shall see to it,”
Daniel replied.

Bao balanced the flat of his sword on his
thighs and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’ve
already asked her, and she refused me. Twice.”

Daniel walked back to his stool and sat down.
“Ah, but now you have my backing as well. And Maryn and our
grandmother’s, too.” He laughed then, a diabolical gleam in his
eye. “And Alleck will not let her rest until you two are wed, once
the idea is given to him.”

Bao sat back and crossed his arms over his
chest, a smile of satisfaction lighting his countenance. He’d wed
her and put her in a hell of imprisonment, just as his mother had
been.

* * *

Three days later, Jesslyn was busily stirring
her pottage on the cookfire when a knock came to her door. “Enter,”
she called out and turned back to her task.

“G’day, Jesslyn,” Maryn said, “I’ve been
inveigled by Bao to come speak to you about relenting and giving
him your troth.”

Jesslyn rolled her eyes. “Ayyy. Will no one
let it rest?” She rose to her feet and placed the spoon on the
table next to her. “Why will you not just let me wed the steward,
as I’ve said I would?”

Maryn walked over to a stool and settled on
it, saying, “Because, the babe’s not the
steward’s
. ‘Tis
Bao’s. And he deserves to raise the bairn as his own.”

Jesslyn twisted her fingers together and
twirled around, beginning to pace. “He’s much changed since last we
met.” She turned a steady gaze on her friend. “Much changed.”

Maryn’s look was disbelieving. “In what way?
He’s still the bold warrior, still the gentle, loving brother that
we all met this summer past.”

Jesslyn rushed over and sat on the seat in
front of Maryn, taking hold of her friend’s hands. “Do you not see?
With me, he is not that man. I truly believe he wants to do the
right thing, to wed me, be responsible for us, and yet, he resents
the doing of it. I see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice each
time we speak.”

“All men
think
they do not want
marriage—and just look how contented they become after the deed is
done.”

She sat back. “Not this time, not Bao.”

“Alleck wants a father.”

“The stew—”

“Will be a horrid father to the lad. He’s too
old—I still cannot
believe
my husband ever thought the man
was a decent match for you—he’s pompous, and he’s not the patience
required to raise a lad as active as is your son, Alleck.”

She spoke the truth, and Jesslyn knew it, but
still she struggled with her dread. “What if he begins to miss his
life in Perth?”
The life that no-one else knew of but her.
“He may grow to hate me.”

Maryn put her hand on Jesslyn’s knee. “He’d
never
do that. You are the mother of his bairn, for one
thing. But for another,”—an impish grin lit her countenance—“I do
believe he
likes
you well. And you
like
him. Why else
would the two of you have found yourselves in this situation?” She
sat back. “That alone bodes well for a well-made match. Believe me,
I’ve personal, expert knowledge of such.”

The smell of burning pottage wafted over to
Jesslyn and she hurried over to stir it once more, but her mind
spun with all her friend had said. Maryn was right. And, besides,
could she really allow another man to raise Bao’s bairn, when its
father had proved his desire to do the deed? And, of course, there
was Alleck. He’d not stopped hounding her to wed the man since
first learning of the possibility days ago. After the fourth
rotation around the pot with the spoon, Jesslyn finally turned to
Maryn and said, “All right. I’ll wed him.”

* * *

They were bound in wedlock by sundown. The
celebration of the wedding was deferred until the next day, so the
two were left with the evening and night to spend alone
together.

And now they stood in the cottage that
Jesslyn and Alleck had lived in prior to moving to the keep. It had
been decided that the newlyweds should have a bit more privacy this
first night, so the cottage had been prepared—supplied with the
essentials for their comfort.

Jesslyn was as jumpy as a rabbit. She
couldn’t believe she was a wife once more. And to this carnally
charged, darkly brooding warrior-god. He stood with his feet
planted wide and his arms crossed over his chest, just staring at
her. Didn’t he know he was making her even more nervous with that
intent gaze?

“Bring me the gown you wore the morn I
arrived back here.”

“Why?”

“You shall see soon enough.”

Alarm bells went off in her head, but she saw
no way around giving in to his strange mood. “Al-all right.” She
scurried into her bedchamber and took it from its hook on the wall,
then hurried it to him. She gasped when he ripped it from her
fingers, ripped it from neck to skirt hem. “What are you doing!
Stop!” She tried to take it from him, but he swung it out of her
reach then proceeded to make long shreds in the material with the
blade of his dirk. “You’ll have no more need of this.”

Her heart pounded so hard, it made a weighted
ball in her throat that she could barely speak around. “Why did you
do that? I told you that was a precious gift from my late brother.”
Her palms began to sweat.

“’Tis not for you to know your master’s
inclinations. ‘Tis only for you to obey and serve his needs.”

Her breath caught. “M-my
master’s
inclinations?”

“Aye. Your lord and master. And from this
moment forward there will be some changes in your attire and your
demeanor.”

A high-pitched ringing swirled in her head,
in her ears. “What is this about? Why are you behaving this way—we
are friends, at least, are we not?”

“Ha! Nay. To look upon you makes me want to
heave my meal. I hate the sight of you.”

She swayed on her feet. “Then why did you wed
me? I would have wed the steward, or some other suitable match, and
your precious freedom would never have been violated.”

“Ah, but do you not see? Then I would not
have the pleasure of seeing you grovel, the way my mother groveled
at my father’s feet. And that is the only thing that the likes of
you deserve.”

She stared at him.
Who is this?
This is not Bao.
Not the warm, strong, gentle Bao she’d
grown a hair’s breadth from falling in love with last summer. Nay,
this man was hard, cold, cruel.

He settled with disgusting ease on one of her
stools and said, “And then of course, there is the matter of my
babe. I’ll not have another taking the name ‘father’ for a bairn of
my loins. I do not take my duties lightly.”

“I’ll petition for an annulment.”

“On what grounds? Tho’ our clans are related,
you admitted I fathered the babe, and I admitted that ‘tis true.
You were a widow and I was blissfully unshackled. The church will
not allow it. Nay, you are mine to do with as I will.”

Another set of alarm bells sounded. “A-as you
will?”

He smirked. “Worry not, I’ll not ride between
your thighs again. I prefer a woman with more…experience—and I find
I have no stomach for fucking slaves.”

Slave!
“Wh—?” Surely, ‘twas meant to
shock, not meant as truth!

“Go to bed, Jesslyn. We’ve a long life ahead
of us. And do not think to speak a word of this conversation to my
family, for if you do, I’ll sweep you off to Perth so
quickly—without Alleck, I might add—that your brain will scramble.
Nay, to all we shall appear the happy, loving couple.”

* * *

Over the next sennight, Jesslyn’s misgivings
grew. Bao had insisted that Alleck remain at the keep, and she’d
complied, as she had no belief that she could keep up the pretense
of happiness in her home as well as in her dealings with Bao’s
family. Added to which, she held hope that she could assuage his
anger if they were left to deal with each other in privy. So she
had questioned Bao, pleaded with him to give her some reason for
his loathing of her, but he’d thus far remained mute. What could
have happened between the day of his departure from here when he’d
smiled with genuine friendship and gratitude after receiving her
gift of berry tarts and the day he’d returned? If only she could
speak to Daniel about it, she was sure he could learn the cause,
but she had little doubt that Bao would do as he’d threatened and
separate her from her home—her son—if she did so, with few or no
pangs of conscience.

She wandered through the wood in search of
any last chance of mushrooms for their supper and was just coming
through the trees when she glanced in the direction of the burn.
She smiled and blushed when she saw a young couple lying
half-clothed on the banks, kissing. Longing pricked her heart and
she began to turn away when the man lifted his head and grinned
down at his young amour. Her heart tripped then twisted.
‘Twas
Bao!

What to do? He’d told her he’d find his
pleasure with another, and truth to tell, that suited her. It did!
For his cruel and angry manner had suffocated any last feelings of
desire she’d been harboring for him since their conversation in the
wood. But she’d wither of mortification if any learned of his
disinterest. She worried her lip with her teeth. Nay. Nay. ‘Twould
not happen. Bao was just as adamant that they give his family the
belief that all was well and good with their marriage. He’d be
discreet.

Pushing down the jealousy that threatened to
rise within her, she turned and ran back to their cottage.

* * *

Bao watched Jesslyn’s flight, his jaw
clenched, his eyes narrowed, and when she was out of sight, rolled
from the lass beneath him and said, “Cover yourself, your work is
done. The coin I promised is in the pouch on my belt.” He leveled
his gaze on the mussed creature. “You did well, and there’s another
coin in it for you if you keep this bargain to yourself.” After the
lass retrieved her pay, he stood and helped her to rise with a
grasp of her hand. “I shall give you notice if I need your services
again. G’day, Brigid.”

* * *

Later that afternoon, Bao strode in with a
rather rough looking peddler. “Go fetch our guest some fresh
water.”

Jesslyn gave a brief nod and grabbed up the
bucket and ladle. She wasn’t gone more than ten minutes, but when
she returned, the peddler was settled on his cart and
all her
sundries and belongings were piled upon it!

“Bao!” She dropped the bucket and the ladle
went flying. “What are you doing! These are—These are mine!” The
dress made from the material her husband bought for her on his
fatal last journey poked out in bunches from the lid of her chest.
She bunted Bao aside and started hauling the chest out of the cart.
But he gripped her wrist and forced her to release her hold. “It
displeases me to see you in such rags. I’ve purchased others for
you. Come inside and I’ll show you.” He turned to the peddler.
“Enjoy whatever coin you can gain from these items, good man.”

Her eye fell on a small wooden box, the one
that held all her son’s secret boyhood treasures.
“Wait!
That’s Alleck’s—he’ll be much grieved at it’s loss!”

Bao lifted the box from the cart and tucked
it under his arm. He hauled her into the cottage then and slammed
the door. “Do not ever gainsay my decisions. You will do as I
will.” His smile was dark, brutal, when he said, “I saw you in the
wood earlier. Do you miss the fucking, dove?”

Fire licked her neck, her cheeks and she
shook her head.

His eyes narrowed. “Go into your bedchamber
and change into the gown I left lying on the bed.”

Seeing no way around his bitterness and
wanting only a bit of peace, she did as he demanded. Her eyes
scanned her chamber, emptied of her precious possessions, and they
welled, but she swallowed the tears down.
Nay. Do not think of
things you cannot control.
She walked over and stood at the
edge of the bed. Her breath caught when she saw the fineness of the
ruby-colored material, but when she lifted it, she gasped. ‘Twas as
sheer as a spider’s web and just as daunting. What game was he
playing? She could not be seen in public wearing this. She’d be
banished.

This had gone far enough. She whirled around
with the gown fisted in her hand and stormed into the front
chamber. “I’ll not wear this to supper with your family, ’tis
unseemly!”

He laughed for the first time since they’d
wed. A real, honest, joyful laugh that reached his eyes and
reminded her of his old self. “Nay, you shall not!” He sobered and
the anger came into his eyes again. “But you
shall
wear it
for your master.”

Oh, God.
She took the gown back into
her bedchamber and felt proud of herself when she closed the door a
bit louder than she normally did. Just wanting to get through
whatever bitter, resentful game he’d planned for her, she quickly
doffed her gray gown and cotton chemise and replaced them with the
gossamer pale-rose colored chemise and ruby gown. She kept her
muddy boots on and walked back into the front chamber. “What would
you like from me now, m’lord?” She had yet to call him ‘master’ as
he’d demanded repeatedly she do in privy. ‘Twas a small rebellion,
and one that he clearly believed not worth the trouble of punishing
her for, so she’d continued it with a secret pleasure.

“Come here, slave. Show me what hangs so
coarsely around that white neck of yours.”

The coin!
The coin
her
Bao, the
real Bao, had given her last summer. Why had she not remembered to
take it off! With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she
stumbled forward and drew the leather thong from around her neck.
“I believe this is yours,” she said with a note of sadness, holding
it out to him.